Geography of Mauritius
 | This article was imported from the CIA's World Factbook. |
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 20°17′S 57°33′E / 20.283°S 57.550°E
Map references: World
Area (includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues):
total:
2,040 km²
land:
2,030 km²
water:
10 km²
note:
Mauritius ranks as the most "compact" nation in the world
Area - comparative: almost 11 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 177 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200 nm (370 km) or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm (370 km)
territorial sea:
12 nm (22.2 km)
Climate:
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Terrain: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mont Piton 828 m
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land:
49.26%
permanent crops:
2.96%
permanent pastures:
3%
forests and woodland:
22%
other:
23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 200 km² (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Environment - current issues: water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: The main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs